From the desk of Michelle Goudge APEF Executive Director…
The Foundation chose not to do a large Holiday Giving Campaign this year, but instead I am making our request here for your donation to the APA Teaching Excellence Fund. Please consider making a holiday and/or year-end gift to this fund as a thank you to the teachers and staff who contribute daily to the success of our students.
I’ve spoken for years about my admiration for teachers. My mom was an 8th grade math teacher, and I saw, first-hand, her dedication to her job and her students. She wasn’t just a teacher, but also a role model, a mentor, and a counselor. She had a passion for her students, their education, and their futures. And her job didn’t stop when the bell rang each afternoon. She spent countless hours working in the evenings, on the weekends, during holidays, and when all of her students were enjoying their summer break. Great teachers work tirelessly to create a challenging, nurturing environment for their students, whether it be on the clock or off the clock. And this is why I am a sustaining contributor to the APA Teaching Excellence Fund.
As a way to attract and retain the very best teachers American Preparatory Education Foundation established the APA Teaching Excellence Fund (formerly the Builders Club). 100% of all contributions to the APA Teaching Excellence Fund go directly to our amazing APA teachers and staff. As you’ll read in the attached newsletter, APA, as a charter school, receives less funding per student than many traditional neighborhood public schools (approximately $80 less per student per month compared to the local public schools). The goal of the APA Teaching Excellence Fund is to supplement the pay that our teachers and staff currently receive to both attract and retain the very best teachers for our students. And we’re asking for your help.
Contributions to the APA Teaching Excellence Fund can be made as a one-time payment or as a monthly, recurring donation at https://www.
Your donations make a difference! And if your employer has a matching program, you can double your donation to the APA Teaching Excellence Fund. Please inquire with your employer.
Wishing you and your family the happiest of holidays. Thank you for your support!

2020 HOLIDAY Giving Campaign
Wow! Our parents (and grandparents) are AMAZING! Donors contributed $15,600 to our 2020 Holiday Giving Campaign! Our original goal for the campaign was $16,000 to purchase jackets for all APA staff members. That being the case, we came so close to reaching our goal! But then the decision was made to purchase a higher quality jacket, pushing the goal to $24,000. The holidays are over, but if you weren’t able to contribute in December, it’s not too late! Please go to the bottom of this page to make your contribution.
Falling in step with everything else in 2020, there was a bump in the road with getting the jackets to our staff members before the break. But they have arrived and the feedback has been very positive. Our teachers and staff LOVE their jackets! I have heard nothing but thanks and appreciation. More photos coming soon…
Messages to our APA Parents
MESSAGE FROM MICHELLE GOUDGE, APA PARENT AND APEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
It is with much gratitude that I write this message today. Thank you so much to all of the generous parents and grandparents who have contributed to our Annual Holiday Giving Campaign.
MESSAGE FROM MICHELLE GOUDGE, APA PARENT AND APEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Parents,
It is with much gratitude that I write this message today. Thank you so much to all of the generous parents and grandparents who have contributed to our Annual Holiday Giving Campaign. We have received many donations and I have been touched by the messages that have been written to our amazing teachers and staff members.
It’s not too late to make your contribution. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to donate. Messages will be delivered to APA teachers and staff when school resumes.
Again, thank you! Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
With much gratitude,

Michelle Goudge, APEF Executive Director
MESSAGE FROM MICHELLE GOUDGE, APA PARENT AND APEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We are wrapping up the Annual Holiday Giving Campaign for 2020! Thank you so much to all of our amazing parents and grandparents who have contributed.
MESSAGE FROM KEVIN MCVICAR, APA PARENT AND APEF BOARD MEMBER
Dear Parents,
We are wrapping up the Annual Holiday Giving Campaign for 2020! Thank you so much to all of our amazing parents and grandparents who have contributed. We have received many donations, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal of gifting special commemorative logo jackets to each and every teacher and staff member at APA.
I am confident that our amazing APA families will help us to reach this goal. We have just a couple of days until the break. If you’ve already made a contribution, thank you! If you haven’t, please consider donating to our fund.
Kevin McVicar may not be seen walking the halls of Draper 2 on a daily basis any longer, but he remains a valuable asset to APA as an American Preparatory Education Foundation board member. Please enjoy this video message, from a face that so many of us are familiar with, with a quick message about this year’s Holiday Giving Campaign.
Whatever your family is able to donate will be very much appreciated. Every dollar helps. No donation is too small. You can make your contribution below. As a reminder, anyone can donate, so if you have relatives who might enjoy the opportunity to bless a teacher this season, please invite them to do so. You may also leave cash or a check made out to APEF with your campus secretary.
We appreciate your support of our amazing teachers and staff. THANK YOU!
With much gratitude,

Michelle Goudge, APEF Executive Director
MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HANKS, APA PARENT AND APEF BOARD MEMBER
Please watch this short video, a special request from Brian Hanks, APA parent and American Preparatory Education Foundation board member, regarding our 2020 holiday gift to APA teachers and staff.
MESSAGE FROM BRIAN HANKS, APA PARENT AND APEF BOARD MEMBER
Dear Parents,
Please watch this short video, a special request from Brian Hanks, APA parent and American Preparatory Education Foundation board member, regarding our 2020 holiday gift to APA teachers and staff.
As you are probably aware, we are working towards gifting nice, zip-up, embroidered jackets to all APA teachers and staff members who teach, support, and care for our students as this year's holiday gift. The jackets are a special way to commemorate 2020 and to show how much we appreciate our teachers and staff for going above and beyond to educate and care for our students. With a contribution of just $5 for every APA student we will reach our goal. Please consider a $5 donation per child (or more if you're willing) to help us show our support and appreciation for APA’s amazing teachers and staff.
The link to donate can be found at the bottom of this page. Thank you for your support!
With much gratitude,

Michelle Goudge, APEF Executive Director
Annual Holiday Giving Campaign 2020
We are excited to announce the kick-off of the Annual Holiday Giving Campaign for 2020! As the Executive Director of the American Preparatory Education Foundation (APEF), I met with the school Executive Team and together we have come up with a great gift idea for our staff members this year.
Annual Holiday Giving Campaign 2020
Dear Parents,
We are excited to announce the kick-off of the Annual Holiday Giving Campaign for 2020! As the Executive Director of the American Preparatory Education Foundation (APEF), I met with the school Executive Team and together we have come up with a great gift idea for our staff members this year.
As you know, our teachers and staff have gone above and beyond to educate and care for our students during this remarkable year. We felt a special gift was in order, and we wanted something that would help us mark the uniqueness of the past year. So we designed a special commemorative 2020 logo jacket that we hope to gift to each and every staff member at APA. It is a navy zip-up jacket, with the logo below printed on the front.
As you might imagine, this will be a more expensive gift than normal. Because we are unable to hold holiday parties and staff dinners due to COVID-19, the school has committed to utilize those funds to pay for a portion of the cost of the jacket. And I felt confident that our amazing APA families would be willing to partner with the Foundation on this gift as well, so I have committed us to raising as many dollars as possible to contribute to our teacher gifts. Please join me in making this vision a reality!
INVITATION: We invite all our families to participate in supporting the holiday staff gift campaign by donating to the Holiday Gift Fund. In the past we’ve asked parents to contribute to the Holiday Giving Campaign by purchasing items like chocolates and roses for our teachers and staff. This year we’re asking for you to contribute to a gift that they will have for years to come!
Whatever your family is able to donate will be very much appreciated. Every dollar will help us make this gift a reality for our staff members. No donation is too small. You can make donations here. Anyone can donate, so if you have relatives who might enjoy the opportunity to bless a teacher this season, please invite them to do so. You may also leave cash or a check made out to APEF with your campus secretary.
We have also created a way for you to be able to personalize your gift to specific staff members by writing a personalized note that will be given to your children’s teachers or the staff members that you choose. In this way, your children’s teachers (or other staff members you choose) will know that you have contributed to their gift.
We appreciate your support of our amazing teachers and staff. THANK YOU!
If you have any questions or ideas to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Let’s make this a great success and see all our staff members with beautiful jackets this holiday season!

Michelle Goudge, APEF Executive Director